MYSTERY SHOPPING HANDBOOK HOW TO BECOME A MYSTERY SHOPPER

What Pay And Benefits Can You Expect?

There is no fixed rate of pay for mystery shoppers. Companies will pay whatever the service is worth to them. And, since improving their service can mean hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of extra business, they don't usually skimp when it comes to paying mystery shoppers.

As a mystery shopper, you'll be providing a much needed professional service in the market research industry. So, you'll normally be paid a very professional rate of pay. Often, when you work in your own mystery shopping service, this can be in the region of £30 per hour or more, plus expenses.

The added advantage, of course, is that you'll also be able to keep many of the products and services you buy when mystery shopping which could, over the course of a year be worth thousands and thousands of pounds!

Think of it this way: Imagine that you undertake just three assignments each week, each taking six hours each. At a typical charge of £30 per hour you'll earn £540 a week (or over £28,000 a year) - plus expenses -from your part time venture. In addition to which you could, with care, and due to all the free goods you'll pick up, slash your living expenses by 50% or more.

You're sure to agree that shopping has never been such fun!

Case Histories of Six Typical Mystery Shoppers

 Elizabeth K - has a contract with a restaurant chain. Every week she visits a different restaurant-pub with her husband and two children (aged 2 and 4). Elizabeth prepares a report on the quality of the food and the facilities that are provided for children. Some of the restaurants Elizabeth visits are run by her client's competitors. Elizabeth is paid £30 per hour, receives a free meal, and is taken to each restaurant by taxi!

 Graham M - operates as a mystery shopper for a Supermarket chain, and often works assignments in partnership with his wife. They mystery shop both their client's branches, and those of competitors, to survey prices, displays, choice, store facilities and helpfulness of staff.

They're allowed to keep up to £75 of goods from each visit. Once a month they are instructed to shoplift from one of their client's branches, to check that security procedures are being followed.  Kevin L - specialises in fraud detection. He visits shops purely to check whether till procedures are being followed.  Anne E - is confined to a wheelchair and works as a mystery shopper one or two days a week. Her job is to visit stores and simply see which, if any, employees offer help without being asked. She also checks on 'statutory compliance’ as regards disabled facilities in her client's buildings.

 Simon T - has a regular assignment with a motor distributorship, which he operates completely by telephone. His job is to telephone information hotlines to check on product knowledge and obtain brochures for analysis.

 Andrew N - specialises in mystery shopping the fashion industry. When he’s not mystery shopping in this country he travels all over Europe mystery shopping, looking for new marketing ideas which he can bring back to the UK.

MYSTERY SHOPPING HANDBOOK-HOW TO BECOME A MYSTERY SHOPPER